Fast food chain Subway could open branch in Didsbury school

Fast food giant Subway is in talks with education chiefs to open a branch at Parrs Wood High School in Didsbury. It would be the first time Subway has opened a branch at a UK school. We understand the branch would be based at the Sixth Form college, which is attached to the 1,854-pupil school.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Parrs Wood Sixth Form in Didsbury could get its own Subway. There is a branch of the store about a mile away.

Fast food giant Subway is in talks with education chiefs to open a branch at a Manchester school.

The US sandwich store, which has more outlets than McDonald’s in the UK, could serve up meals at Parrs Wood High School in Didsbury.

It would be the first time Subway has opened a branch at a UK school.

We understand the branch would be based at the Sixth Form college, which is attached to the 1,854-pupil school.

Headteacher Andy Shakos said the discussions in the Subway concession were at an early stage – and insisted a broad range of food would still be available.

He said: "At the moment we are at an early stage. We are looking at how we can change the provision for our students in the sixth form.

"Subway is one of the possibilities we are looking at."

Subway has been criticised by consumer groups in the past over the high salt content of some of its products.

Two years ago, the firm announced it was cutting salt content of ingredients by 33 per cent.

The talks with Parrs Wood High school come as Education Secretary Michael Gove orders an inquiry into school food.

Mr Gove appointed restaurant bosses Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent to examine whether the food served in English schools is good enough.

They will also draft an action plan to ensure more pupils eat healthy lunches.

TV chef Simon Rimmer – whose award-winning restaurant Greens is in West Didsbury – said school bosses needed to keep tight control over the menu if Subway was allowed in.

He said: "At the end of the day, you can take a healthy option or you can take an unhealthy option.

"A concession like this could serve sandwiches which have just 350 calories or sandwiches which are loaded up with fat and salt. It completely depends on how this concession operates.

"There’s nothing wrong with having a sandwich to eat every day but if it is an open menu, like it is on the high street, then it goes against everything we are trying to do in schools."

And the move was also greeted cautiously by the School Food Trust, which advises the government on school meals.

A spokesman said: "Many schools use options like serve-yourself salad bars and mix-and-match pasta stations, and we think the ‘build-your-own’ model does have potential to encourage pupils to eat more veg, salad and fruit at lunchtime.

"Schools do need to remember the legal requirement to make sure they’re meeting the national standards for school food."

Subway UK, which has a branch about a mile away from the school in the centre of Didsbury, declined to comment on the move. A spokeswoman said: "We typically don’t discuss specific development until a store opens."

6-inch sarnie that’s bigger than McDonald's

SUBWAY has grown into a multi-billion pound global business since its creator Fred DeLuca first started selling submarine-shaped sandwiches in 1965.

The firm’s first UK shop opened in Brighton in 1996 and there were 50 shops across the country by 2001.

By 2007, it had opened its 1,000th shop in the UK. The following year it announced it had more stores in the UK and Ireland than McDonald’s.

Subway – whose slogan is ‘Eat Fresh’ – says it supports the Department of Health’s campaign to get people eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. It says that customers get one of their five-a-day by choosing all the salad ingredients on their sandwich.

Subway says its nine low fat ‘subs’ contain less than 3g of fat per 100g. It says its low fat versions are supported by Heart Research UK.

It’s best-selling sandwich has been said to be the Italian Big, Meaty, Tasty, which at 6in-long contains 405 calories.

Subway opened its first store in Vietnam last year. Other outlets include a riverboat in Germany, at bowling alleys and even at a church in Buffalo, New York.

Last year, it emerged the firm had more stores worldwide than McDonald’s. There are more than 80 Subway shops in Greater Manchester, including 10 in the city centre.

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